Curiosity has landed!

Amazing. I just wish we'd invest more of our money into NASA. So many good things have come from that program.

Also, I wish I heard more about this. I'm not sure if it was because of my end (being at school without cable and power outages all weekend) or from the publicity.. Either way, still an accomplishment like no other!

Latest photo from Curiosity:

See I am the opposite....I think spending 2.5 Billion dollars on this is such a waste of taxpayer money....

to find out Mars exists yayyyyyyyy.....lets spend 2.5B on America's infrastructure that could create many jobs which would help out many families in these times....

I never understood or accepted why so much money is spent in these programs....

"finyank13 wrote:

See I am the opposite....I think spending 2.5 Billion dollars on this is such a waste of taxpayer money....

to find out Mars exists yayyyyyyyy.....lets spend 2.5B on America's infrastructure that could create many jobs which would help out many families in these times....

I never understood or accepted why so much money is spent in these programs....

I totally see where you are coming from, but how much of that 2.5B was spent on raw material? I would be guessing, but I imagine lots of people were long-term employed for the successful execution of this mission.

"FasanoPaisano wrote:

I totally see where you are coming from, but how much of that 2.5B was spent on raw material? I would be guessing, but I imagine lots of people were long-term employed for the successful execution of this mission.

yes and if it wasn't run by the Gov't it would probably have cost half of that as well...

"finyank13 wrote:

See I am the opposite....I think spending 2.5 Billion dollars on this is such a waste of taxpayer money....

to find out Mars exists yayyyyyyyy.....lets spend 2.5B on America's infrastructure that could create many jobs which would help out many families in these times....

I never understood or accepted why so much money is spent in these programs....

they already know mars exists. It's to find out any number of things. Such as is there life on mars, are there useuable resources, how did our own life start, etc.

"unluckyluciano wrote:

they already know mars exists. It's to find out any number of things. Such as is there life on mars, are there useuable resources, how did our own life start, etc.

Who cares if there is life there? and there is enough evidence that we already know that there isn't as of right now except Transformers....If there are useable resources there, to bring it back here in a quantity that is sufficient for the Country to use it and benefit from it..........the cost to bring it back wouldn't be worth it....

How life started? :pity: I really don't care about that....I care about the unemployment rate in our Country, jobs, selling all our assets to foreign countries, depending on foreign countries for assets.....If they can figure that out that on Mars then fine, until then scale it back, this Country isn't in a booming time to just hand over 2.5B to a govt run program to find out...

nobody is there and the resources cant be used......

"finyank13 wrote:

Who cares if there is life there? and there is enough evidence that we already know that there isn't as of right now except Transformers....If there are useable resources there, to bring it back here in a quantity that is sufficient for the Country to use it and benefit from it..........the cost to bring it back wouldn't be worth it....

How life started? :pity: I really don't care about that....I care about the unemployment rate in our Country, jobs, selling all our assets to foreign countries, depending on foreign countries for assets.....If they can figure that out that on Mars then fine, until then scale it back, this Country isn't in a booming time to just hand over 2.5B to a govt run program to find out...

nobody is there and the resources cant be used......

lol. That's a conservative for you. "Knowledge is stupid", should be their campaign slogan. You know, **** the entire Cape Canaveral area, they don't need jobs or anything. i mean there's only like 3 people that work at NASA, not about 18K directly and another 30K in contractors.

"finyank13 wrote:

Who cares if there is life there? and there is enough evidence that we already know that there isn't as of right now except Transformers....If there are useable resources there, to bring it back here in a quantity that is sufficient for the Country to use it and benefit from it..........the cost to bring it back wouldn't be worth it....

How life started? :pity: I really don't care about that....I care about the unemployment rate in our Country, jobs, selling all our assets to foreign countries, depending on foreign countries for assets.....If they can figure that out that on Mars then fine, until then scale it back, this Country isn't in a booming time to just hand over 2.5B to a govt run program to find out...

Well if we ever have to leave, then yes what we learn trying to get to mars, as well as its development, could help continue your future bloodline............ Unless they read your posts then they will probably leave your great great great grandkids behind.
And yes, investigating how life started, died, etc helps us understand everything from bacteria, to animals, etc.

"finyank13 wrote:

nobody is there and the resources cant be used......

that we know of.

That $2.5B is about 1% of the federal budget. Don't get all hung up on the word "billion".

"finyank13 wrote:

Who cares if there is life there? and there is enough evidence that we already know that there isn't as of right now except Transformers....If there are useable resources there, to bring it back here in a quantity that is sufficient for the Country to use it and benefit from it..........the cost to bring it back wouldn't be worth it....

How life started? :pity: I really don't care about that....I care about the unemployment rate in our Country, jobs, selling all our assets to foreign countries, depending on foreign countries for assets.....If they can figure that out that on Mars then fine, until then scale it back, this Country isn't in a booming time to just hand over 2.5B to a govt run program to find out...

nobody is there and the resources cant be used......

If somehow that Mars Rover were to help find an element on Mars that was instrumental in developing the cure for cancer, do you think it would be worth $2.5 billion to us taxpayers? You can't be so negative and close minded when it comes to exploration.

The space exploration program has led to inventions, or advances, in microchip tech (and hence computers), satellite communications (and early warning weather systems), water purification, and fuel cells (more efficient energy with less pollution). Studies of the human body in zero gravity have informed our understanding of the aging process, and MRIs and lasers developed for the program are now routinely used in surgery. The world, not just America, has tangible benefits.

Long story short. You are always better off funding smart people, especially when that funding is a miniscule fraction of the overall budget.

"Finascious D wrote:

lol. That's a conservative for you. "Knowledge is stupid", should be their campaign slogan. You know, **** the entire Cape Canaveral area, they don't need jobs or anything. i mean there's only like 3 people that work at NASA, not about 18K directly and another 30K in contractors.

my point exactly.....not saying abolish it...scale it back....it took 2.5B just to get the thing there, now add on top of that the 48K in salaries and benefits of them all and we are talking huge money.....

Obama could have been re-elected in an instant....using that money elsewhere...

Finyank doesn't want us to go to Mars, but he can't wait to spend his money on the Iphone5!

"finyank13 wrote:

my exactly.....not saying abolish it...scale it back....it took 2.5B just to get the thing there, now add on top of that the 48K in salaries and benefits of them all and we are talking huge money.....

Obama could have been re-elected in an instant....using that money elsewhere...

lol. 48K jobs and untold knowledge that could lead to untold benefits in the future for a tiny fraction of GDP, and you don't like it. This is precisely why conservatives are dangerous.

"unluckyluciano wrote:

Unless they read your posts then they will probably leave your great great great grandkids behind.

unless u have Mit Romney money, you and your grandkiddies will be here with me....

"Firesole wrote:

That $2.5B is about 1% of the federal budget. Don't get all hung up on the word "billion".

Which is the reason why the debt is so large, hey it isnt THAT much so might as well spend it right....

"Firesole wrote:

If somehow that Mars Rover were to help find an element on Mars that was instrumental in developing the cure for cancer, do you think it would be worth $2.5 billion to us taxpayers? You can't be so negative and close minded when it comes to exploration.

yes.......and hopefully they find it...

"Firesole wrote:

Finyank doesn't want us to go to Mars, but he can't wait to spend his money on the Iphone5!

The only benefit as I see it is yes these engineers have created and made huge strides on stuff like this....chips, satellites, etc so for that great, even though they will figure it out just as fine here on Earth....but if they came back tomorrow and said there is life form on Mars, I could give 2 sh$ts about it honestly, it isnt about knowledge Fin-D.....I just don't care and it certainly isn't worth the money, unless said alien is a Dolphin fan.....

"Finascious D wrote:

lol. 48K jobs and untold knowledge that could lead to untold benefits in the future for a tiny fraction of GDP, and you don't like it. This is precisely why conservatives are dangerous.

go and take all the money they have spent trying to find this "knowledge" dating back to when they went to the moon, and they have made nothing by way of proving life form is actually around....they say it COULD be there and there POSSIBLY could be signs of something once being there in an effort to keep that funding coming....but nothing by way of actual prove since then....nada....they spent alot of money finding nothing.....

I think I see something!!!! you guys see what I am seeing?? I see a nice camera that is used for these photos, maybe that will be in the iPhone 5 Firesole!!

Oh and Fin-D, a "conservative" started this all this......I think you have heard of him, why am I not surprised by this....

While most Americans have moved on, Nasa is stuck in the 1960s. That explains the desire to go to Mars, an aspiration given the seal of presidential approval in 2004. Bush's project, priced at $400 billion, was inspired by his desire to stay ahead of the Chinese in the new space race.

400B isnt chump change eh?

And sh$t you not boys and girls, the bolded is the real reason why we dump billions upon billions of dollars into this pit, to stay ahead of the Chinese, Russians, etc.....it is all a big co&kwaving exercise to see who can do what the fastest and earliest, masked under a guise of ever eternal riches and benefits for humanity....

as usual...politics...Space is cool, that's about it....

"finyank13 wrote:

go and take all the money they have spent trying to find this "knowledge" dating back to when they went to the moon, and they have made nothing by way of proving life form is actually around....they say it COULD be there and there POSSIBLY could be signs of something once being there in an effort to keep that funding coming....but nothing by way of actual prove since then....nada....they spent alot of money finding nothing.....

Do you not know the myriad of things NASA has either discovered, invented or helped invent? Seriously bro?

"finyank13 wrote:

Oh and Fin-D, a "conservative" started this all this......I think you have heard of him, why am I not surprised by this....

You mean when conservatives were actually rational people? Duh. Those guys don't exist anymore.

"finyank13 wrote:

400B isnt chump change eh?

And sh$t you not boys and girls, the bolded is the real reason why we dump billions upon billions of dollars into this pit, to stay ahead of the Chinese, Russians, etc.....it is all a big co&kwaving exercise to see who can do what the fastest and earliest, masked under a guise of ever eternal riches and benefits for humanity....

as usual...politics...Space is cool, that's about it....

48,000 jobs isn't chump change either. Not too mention all the industries that wouldn't be here without the advancements made by NASA, like I dunno, all internet, cellular, satellite & aerodynamics companies.

Your point is bad and typical of the emotional vomiting of conservatives these days. Just reactionary bs, that not only misses the point but thinks facts are unnecessary. Basically, congrats, you're Sarah Palin now.

"finyank13 wrote:

go and take all the money they have spent trying to find this "knowledge" dating back to when they went to the moon, and they have made nothing by way of proving life form is actually around....they say it COULD be there and there POSSIBLY could be signs of something once being there in an effort to keep that funding coming....but nothing by way of actual prove since then....nada....they spent alot of money finding nothing.....

Again it's about more then just life. It's about inventions. It's about discovering our own history. All that leads to bigger and better inventions in everything from medicines to the computer you are sitting at. You are trying to trivialize something without I don't think really fully understanding it.

Again I am not saying about the advancements in medicine and tech, I am talking about exploring for actual life elsewhere....That is useless, I dont believe in aliens, ghosts etc like that, to me they dont exist, they have been looking for a while and there isnt a shred of evidence proving there is....

I would rather see that money being spent in the advancment of tech that we use here on Earth in you know reality....do missions catering to that, send the thing as far out as possible, see what the capabilities are I am all from bettering and streamlining stuff we can use here...that is different then what they are doing now, and the whole Mars mission which is what I have a problem with....instead of shifting from it after no signs, they will dig deeper to try to find something that doesnt exist...

Atheist love it and I get it, because if they do find something living they can shake their fingers saying I told you so....I wouldnt hold your breathe however....

I am not saying abolish every aspect of the whole program, even though it all could be run better and more effieciently by a private corporation, I am saying eliminate some foolish parts of it....like trying to find E.T.......

"Finascious D wrote:

Do you not know the myriad of things NASA has either discovered, invented or helped invent? Seriously bro?

You mean when conservatives were actually rational people? Duh. Those guys don't exist anymore.

48,000 jobs isn't chump change either. Not too mention all the industries that wouldn't be here without the advancements made by NASA, like I dunno, all internet, cellular, satellite & aerodynamics companies.

Your point is bad and typical of the emotional vomiting of conservatives these days. Just reactionary bs, that not only misses the point but thinks facts are unnecessary. Basically, congrats, you're Sarah Palin now.

yes 400B for this mission alone for 48K jobs is a waste....you can employ a far larger amount of people with that here, thus doing more good than it is now...not vomiting just common sense....

"finyank13 wrote:

Again I am not saying about the advancements in medicine and tech, I am talking about exploring for actual life elsewhere....That is useless, I dont believe in aliens, ghosts etc like that, to me they dont exist, they have been looking for a while and there isnt a shred of evidence proving there is....

I would rather see that money being spent in the advancment of tech that we use here on Earth in you know reality....do missions catering to that, send the thing as far out as possible, see what the capabilities are I am all from bettering and streamlining stuff we can use here...that is different then what they are doing now, and the whole Mars mission which is what I have a problem with....instead of shifting from it after no signs, they will dig deeper to try to find something that doesnt exist...

Atheist love it and I get it, because if they do find something living they can shake their fingers saying I told you so....I wouldnt hold your breathe however....

I am not saying abolish every aspect of the whole program, even though it all could be run better and more effieciently by a private corporation, I am saying eliminate some foolish parts of it....like trying to find E.T.......

But it is precisely the desire to understand the unknown that led to those medical and technological advances that you don't have an issue with. That's the surprising thing about scientific discoveries in general, they sometimes come from outside of the field altogether. Darwin's Origin of the Species was, for example, informed by a close reading of sedimentary geology.

The cost to your average American is one expensive cocktail drink a year.

I think it's highly ironic we're having this discussion on a computer.